WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th February, 2020) US Defense Secretary Mark Esper will take part in the NATO Defense Ministerial and the Munich Security Conference next week, the Pentagon said in a statement.
"Secretary Esper will meet with key partners and allies at the Defense Ministerial, which will be the first meeting of ministers following the NATO Leaders Meeting in December. There they will discuss the evolving security landscape and readiness initiatives," the release said on Friday.
After the Ministerial, Esper will travel to Bavaria, Germany to participate in the Munich Security Conference, where he will meet a range of defense leaders to discuss a broad range of regional and security issues.
In late January, Esper said that he will discuss NATO's expanded role in the middle East when he attends the Brussels summit. Esper said he will also discuss the importance of alliance unity and adapting to an era of great power competition.
The NATO defense ministerial will take place February 12 and 13 in Brussels.
US President Donald Trump has stressed NATO should boost its presence in the Middle East. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had great potential to make significant contribution to ensure stability in the Middle East in addition to fighting terrorism.
The Munich Security Conference is an annual conference that gathers the world's foremost security experts, politicians and diplomats to discuss issues pertinent to global security.
